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IN THIS WEEKS NEWS: November 5, 2014

 
webinarsUPCOMING WEBINARS
 
  • Genworth:
    • Partnering For Success conference call
      Please join Anthony Vossenberg as he hosts Genworth’s quarterly call with our leading distribution partners. He will be joined by Tom McInerney to discuss their strategy and progress. You’ll also hear from Elena Edwards to learn about their latest product lines. Your participation is encouraged. You may submit questions prior to the event to RichmondCommunications@genworth.com.

      • November 7th – 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
        Dial-in #: 1-800-942-9716
        Participant Code: Genworth Update
    • Index UL 101 LIVE webinar series
      These short sessions are packed-with-information to give you an introduction to Index UL, tips to starting the conversation and closing the sale, the confidence and know-how to serve your clientele and insightful sales tips to improve your sales volume immediately. Register here!

      • November 6th – 2:00 PM ET – Retirement Income Strategies: Starting the Conversation and Addressing Objections to Help Close the Sale
      • November 13th – 2:00 PM ET – Beyond the Death Benefit: Building Cash Value with Index UL Insurance
      • November 20th – 2:00 PM ET – Index UL Insurance Sales Concepts
      • December 4th – 2:00 PM ET – Introduction to Index UL Insurance: A Flexible Soultion for Protection, Accumulation and Retirement Solution
    • Long Term Care vs. Chronic Illness Riders webinar
      It is predicted that at least 70% of Americans over age 65 today will require long term care services during their lives. This webinar will explain the significant differences between LTC and CI Riders and the 4 import questions you need to ask.

    • Choosing a Long Term Care solution
      Learn to identify a client’s need for an LTCI solution. Gain a better understanding of client attitudes, beliefs and behaviors about LTCI, Learn how to recommend a solution for each client, from traditional LTCI to linked benefits, life insurance with a qualified long term care (LTC) Accelerated Benefit Rider (ABR), and life insurance with a chronic illness rider

  • Minnesota Life:
    • 15-minute sales strategy teleconference every Wednesday at 10:00 AM CT
      Dial-in Number: 1-800-910-2399 Passcode: 224032

      • November 5th – Long Term Care Awareness Month
    • BOLD – Key Person/Business Succession
  • North American:
    • Product Features & Hot Spots
      See what sets North American’s product portfolio apart from the industry, and learn how to match up the right product for your client’s needs. Plus, discover a new sales idea!
    • Longevity Planning
      As life expectancy increases, your clients might face “longevity risk,” or the potential for assets to run out during retirement. In addition to providing death benefit protection, permanent life insurance can help your clients manage that risk. Attend this webinar to learn more!
    • A Place to Call Home
      Looking for a carrier that can offer a broad portfolio to meet your diverse list of client needs, competitive compensation for you, and the support and training to help you succeed? Then North American is the place to call home for your business. Attend this webinar to learn more.

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salesSALES ARTICLES
 
yearendIMPORTANT YEAR-END DATES
 
  • AIG:
    • 2014 year-end Life processing dates
      American General’s year-end processing cut-off dates represent deadlines that must be met for cases to have the best chance of being put in force in 2014. Timeline information is detailed in this bulletin.
  • John Hancock:
    • Year-End deadlines
      As year-end approaches, key submission deadlines for cases you are targeting for completion in 2014 are noted in this flyer.
  • Prudential:
    • Year-End Dates & Reminders
      As you prepare for year-end, use these helpful tips and reminders to make submitting Life cases easier.
  • Voya Financial:
    • Year-End deadlines
      Be sure to send in requirements to have your new business placed and commissions paid in advance of these deadlines.

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carrierCARRIER & INDUSTRY
 
  • Real Life Stories – It’s time to get recognized for your hard work!
    Now in its 20th year, this iconic program highlights the important work agents and advisors do in helping their clients put proper insurance planning in place-and it becomes part of the nonprofit consumer education that Life Happens does on a national basis. Learn more about the program and apply at www.lifehappens.org/reallife. Then, submit your true client story about how life insurance, disability insurance or long-term care insurance saved the day and you could win:

    • a professional video, featuring you and your client, distributed nationally
    • a professional flyer made with your story, distributed nationally
    • an all-expense paid trip to New Orleans for you and your client, so you can be honored at NAIFA’s convention next October
  • MetLife:
      • MetLife Companies Restructure
      • New Online Tool for Field Underwriting
      • Guidelines to Avoid Not In Good Order (NOGO) Applications
      • New Reinstatement Form Available in 50 States
      • Top Reasons to Choose MetLife
    • Restructuring of MetLife Companies
      Important notice regarding sales of MetLife life, annuity, and individual disability products on weekend of November 14-17, 2014.
  • Symetra:
    • Becoming a “head-to-head player” in the brokerage market
      In a recent interview with A.M. Best TV, Symetra President and CEO Tom Marra discussed Symetra’s growth strategy in the individual life insurance market. “We think it’ll be our biggest area of growth in the years ahead,” said Marra. Watch the interview for more insights.

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lifeLIFE INSURANCE
 
  • AIG:
    • IRS per diem AND more benefit payment options for Chronic Illness Rider
      The Accelerated Access Solution offers an IRS maximum per diem benefit payment option at claim initiation, providing a form of inflation protection for the policy owner’s benefit. More payment options are available. (IRS caps the maximum daily rate each year. The 2014 maximum per diem is $330/day or $9,900/month. Subsequent years may be higher. )
    • Waivers temporarily suspended in California effective November 10th
      On November 10, 2014, sales for the Waiver of Premium and Waiver of Monthly Deduction riders will be temporarily suspended in California. Click here for details; including the products impacted and transition rules.
  • Fidelity Life:
    • Rapid Decision Senior Life Term & Whole Life now available in CA
      What are you doing with your declined, impaired risk clients over 50? Rapid Decision Senior Life may be your answer. It’s designed to open opportunities in the senior market and better suit the needs of impaired risk individuals ages 50 and above. View the Product Guide, State Availability Chart and the Quick Quote Engine. For even more information, go to the Fidelity agent website. Features of Rapid Decision Senior Life include:
      • Issue ages 50 to 70 for term and 50 to 85 for whole life
      • Face amounts available up to $150,000
      • 10, 20 or 30 year term and whole life options
      • 3-year graded benefit period
      • Simplified underwriting
      • Competitive rates
      • Policies approved in as little as 24-48 hours
  • Legal & General America:
    • New OPTerm rates
      It’s a dance! When other companies two-step over Legal & General’s rankings, they will react to restore their position. Get complete details (and watch the dance) here.
    • Quotes Done Right – a free web sales tool
      Quotes Done Right (QDR) is a web-based, one of its kind, term life insurance lead generator and consumer quoting tool. It’s fun. It’s fast. It simplifies insurance-speak or ignores it all together. It’s broker-powered. You can invite a broker to personalize his/her own QDR website, interact with truly interested prospects, drop automated tickets to AppAssist and track status on the new Partner Dashboard. Brokers can even use QDR as an engaging track to follow during a sales call. What does it cost your agency or your broker? Nothing. It’s free. Commissions? Same as making an OPTerm sale any other way! View the video now. Get complete details here.
  • Lincoln National:
    • Lincoln Life Leader October 27th publication
      In this issue:
      • LifeElements Level Term (2014) – Coming Soon
      • LifeEnhance Accelerated Benefits Rider on WealthPreserve SIUL – Coming Soon
      • LifeReserve IUL Accumulator (2014) available in NY on November 10th
      • Underwriting & New Business 2014 Year-End Commitment and Guidelines
      • Policy for accepting premium payments
      • Requesting In-force Illustrations before Grace or Lapse – Underfunded Policy Letter Update
      • Forms Updates
  • MetLife:
    • What Do You Think of MetLife QuickPredict?
      MetLife is already considering ways to make their new life insurance field underwriting tool – QuickPredict – even more useful. Share your ideas for making it even better by completing their nine-question, multiple-choice survey.
  • Mutual/United of Omaha:
    • Business planning strategies using the Guaranteed Refund Option
      View these three scenarios in which GUL and GUL Plus policies with a Guaranteed Refund Option rider can benefit your business clients.
    • Parent signature no longer need on iGO for Children’s Whole Life in FL
      You no longer need a parent’s signature for Children’s Whole Life applications through the iGO application process in Florida.
  • Protective Life:
    • Are you offering a better solution?
      Building a custom life insurance solution has never been easier. Protective Life’s Choice Series is a diverse suite of guaranteed life insurance solutions designed for maximum protection, value and the flexibility to meet multiple needs. Best of all, you can customize a policy to every client for a truly tailored solution each time. No matter what your client may be looking for, you can help them build a better solution with the Choice Series from Protective Life. Build a solution now.
  • Symetra:
    • Advanced sales concepts NEW!
      Wealth transfer often requires more advanced planning than typical life insurance sales. Symetra’s advanced sales concepts library can help you discuss legacy strategies using trusts, private financing and more.
    • Legacy planning for multiple generations using Dynasty Trusts
      Life insurance can be a highly effective vehicle for asset protection and for increasing the wealth that passes to beneficiaries-in some cases, over several generations. But with a life insurance policy properly structured in a dynasty trust, your clients’ assets can work even harder for their beneficiaries. By leveraging assets, your clients can gain more control and a more efficient way to pass on their legacy for multiple generations.
    • LPB Premier pricing
      With the LPB Premier pricing, Symetra Classic with Lapse Protection Benefit performs even better against the competition, with lower annual premiums at higher death benefit amounts. Take a look at this competitive chart to learn more.

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comboCOMBO PRODUCTS
 

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annuitiesANNUITIES
 
  • American National:
    • Certain annuity products withdrawn in Oklahoma
      Annuity contracts issued in Oklahoma on or after November 1, 2014 will be subject to the 70/10 Rule. This affects the maximum allowable surrender charge permitted on an annuity contract. In order to comply with this law change, American National will discontinue sales of the following products in Oklahoma as of November 1, 2014.
      • Value Lock 10 (OK)
      • Century 1, 3, 5 and 7 (The base Century product is unaffected)
  • Symetra:
    • EdgePro & Enhanced Death Benefit
      The Enhanced Death Benefit rider may appeal to those who seek the stability of a fixed indexed annuity, but want the potential to leave a little “extra” to their beneficiaries. Learn more by viewing this presentation. And, be sure to complete the Enhanced Death Benefit Rider training.
      Product highlights include:
      • Benefit is effective and Rider Charge deducted at the end of the first interest term-no extended waiting period.
      • Full lump-sum death benefit available to beneficiaries, with no annuitization requirement.
      • Annual Rollup Percentage of 7% simple interest for a rollup period of 10 years.
      • Available for issue ages 0-75.
      • Annual charge is 0.90% of the Enhanced Death Benefit Amount.

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ltcLONG TERM CARE
 
  • Genworth Financial:
    • E-mail advertising for LTC Awareness Month
      Below are LTC e-mail URLs that you can send to your advisors. If your LTC sales are down, here is a huge opportunity to help jump start them again.
    • LTCI is too expensive and complex. Right? Not Anymore!
      Until recently, affordability and complexity made it harder for you to offer your clients long term care insurance (LTCI). Now you can overcome both challenges with Genworths’ FlexFit packages. They start at less than $100 a month for qualified applicants, making it easier to fit LTCI into clients’ budgets. And, their pre-packaged features and benefits help make the product simpler to understand, explain, and sell. To get started, determine whether you’re solving for a certain dollar amount to stay within your client’s budget, or a specific coverage amount to protect their income or assets. There are two FlexFit package types optimized for each goal: FlexFit Premium and FlexFit Coverage. Click here for complete details.
    • Plan for Living
      Use the Plan for Living Producer Guide and the Plan for Living Workbook to help you have a productive conversation with your clients about some of the biggest retirement risks they may face, including long term care.
    • Integration of Quote It! and eValuate
    • You don’t need an excuse to talk about Long Term Care with clients
      Here are materials to help you start the conversation!
    • Requirements to Access Special (Couples) Benefits Form for MD new form
      Beginning November 17, 2014, a new Requirements to Access Special (Couples) Benefits form will be required for Privileged Choice Flex 2 in Maryland.
    • New Business Conditional Insurance Agreement (CIA)guidelines
  • John Hancock:
    • Custom Care III featuring Benefit Builder available in CA effective November 10th
      John Hancock is re-entering the California market with Custom Care III featuring Benefit Builder (non-Partnership product only). Benefit Builder is a first-of-its-kind feature providing an affordable alternative to more costly traditional inflation options. It includes:
      • Automatic Crediting that allows policyholders to gradually grow their benefits over time
      • Voluntary Buy-up Options that allow for additional flexibility by providing the policyholder with the opportunity every three years through age 75 to increase benefits by 10%
    • Product & pricing changes for MT & ND effective November 10th
      On November 10, 2014, several changes are being made for all new business – including new rates and some changes to features on our Custom Care III featuring Benefit Builder – in Montana (unisex only) and North Dakota. Paper applications for current rates and benefits in these states must be signed by November 9th and received in the Home Office by November 10th. LTC Captivate business must be signed and submitted through the system by November 9th. For your convenience, applications can be faxed into New Business at 800-932-4305 and you may also notify your case manager.
    • LTC Captivate available in CT, HI, ND & CA effective November 10th
      LTC Captivate – John Hancock’s web-selling platform that supports an entirely paperless sales and application process for LTC insurance – will be available for use in Connecticut, Hawaii, North Dakota, and California on November 10th. Please note: In California, access is to the Plan and Apply sections only. To learn how to get started with LTC Captivate, view the presentation at jhltc.com, or sign up for a training webinar (listed in the webinar section above).
    • Underwriting process changes for NY
      Click here for details about the New York underwriting process. And, download the new consumer brochure – Preparing for Your Paramedical Exam – to help your clients know what to expect so they can be fully prepared for the paramedical exam.
  • Mutual of Omaha:
    • Grow your LTCI sales
      Check out a copy of the Grow flyer to see why Mutual of Omaha is the right company for you!
  • Transamerica:
    • LTC News October 30th edition
      In this issue:
      • Top Performers Materials Guide
      • LTCi Needs Video
      • Support 3in4 Need More

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disabilityDISABILITY & CRITICAL ILLNESS
 
No bulletins to report this week.

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medsuppMEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS
 

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agentcontestsAGENT CONTESTS
 
  • AIG:
    • AIG Better Ride Contest (8/1/2014 – 1/31/2015)
      Now is your chance to rev it up, get in gear, and gain some traction! Producers will receive points based upon the sale of our permanent products, and additional points for selling AG Asset Protector on Secure Lifetime (AAS Rider & LIS Rider), and the AAS Rider on Elite Index II. For every 5 points a producer earns they will get a raffle ticket towards the drawing of a 2 year lease on a BMW 528i. Get complete details.
  • American National:
    • 2015 Marketing Conference (qualification period 1/1/2014 – 12/31/2014)
      You and your guest will enjoy five days and four nights at The Cove Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas from May 17-21, 2015 if you are one of American National’s top 80 qualifiers. Click here for details.
  • Athene:
    • Top Producers Dublin 2015 (1/1/2014 – 12/31/2014)
      Produce $3.5 Million or more (received during the qualification period of January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014) with Aviva or Athene products and then get ready to pack your bags for Ireland. Click here for details.
    • Take the Athene Benefit 10 Challenge (10/1/2014 – 12/31/2014)
      Where will Athene Benefit 10 take you? Introducing an incentive with flexibility – the Athene Benefit 10 Challenge – where winners create their own custom travel experience! Learn how to qualify here.
  • Lincoln National:
    • Double Your Credit (7/1/2014 – 12/31/2014)
      Help your clients prepare for the future and earn double PAP credit on all Lincoln MoneyGuard Solutions cases placed in force between July 1 and December 31, 2014. Click here for complete details.
  • Transamerica:
    • Break Away and Travel with Transamerica (4/1/2014 – 12/19/2014)
      • Agents who place $25,000 of premium (minimum 3 TLIC life applications) will earn a 3-day vacation package valued up to $1,400 for yourself and a guest.
      • Agents who place $75,000 of premium (minimum 5 TLIC life applications) will earn a 5-day vacation package valued up to $5,000 for yourself and up to 3 guests.
      • Click here for complete details.
      • Long Term Care production can help you win the above trip!
        Now earning your Break Away is even easier. Long Term Care production is being included towards qualifying! View the Break Away travel site for complete details.
      • Break Away and Hit the Links!
        Transamerica is excited to announce new destination options for Break Away. By popular demand, singles golf outings are now available! That’s right, by qualifying for a three-day Break Away prize package, you could find yourself teeing off under the blue skies of Palm Springs, California or enjoying the sea breeze on Amelia Island, Florida. Sell more, go farther! By qualifying for the second level Break Away prize package you can take your pick from the world famous courses of Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, and six TPC courses including Sawgrass and Scottsdale! All golf packages are for one person. Challenge your friends to qualify for their own trip and meet you on the greens! Start planning your outing today! View the new golf packages here.
    • Leading Distributors Convention in Barcelona (1/1/2014 – 12/31/2015)
      This is your opportunity to experience one of the world’s top destinations in an entirely unique way-the Transamerica way! Sun-filled days, exciting nightlife, and the breathtaking beauty of Barcelona await, when you qualify for the 2016 convention – held May 11-15, 2016. Click here for details. View the producer flyer.